Huegill apologises for 'commotion'

Former Olympic swimmer Geoff Huegill has apologised to anyone he has let down after he and his wife were allegedly caught with cocaine at Sydney's Randwick Racecourse.

Huegill and his publicist wife, Sara Hill, were charged after police found the pair with the drug in an exclusive suite at the racecourse on Saturday afternoon.

The former champion butterflier spoke briefly outside his home in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Tuesday about being charged with drug possession.

"I just want to say I realise that this has caused some commotion and some people feel that they’ve been let down, and I deeply apologise for that," Huegill said.

Advertisement

"But I'd ask everyone to understand that as this matter is before the courts, unfortunately I won’t be making any other statements until the matter has been resolved.

"So thank you very much and we’ll speak to you again soon."

Water safety organisation AustSwim announced on Tuesday it was suspending the champion butterflier as its ambassador in the wake of the drugs charge.

AustSwim said Huegill, 35, had been a committed water safety advocate during his 10 years as ambassador.

His suspension was pending the outcome of his court appearance, a statement issued on Tuesday said.

"However, if the allegations are proven, then AustSwim's standards would not allow him to continue in his role as an AustSwim ambassador," the organisation said.

Huegill had only recently re-signed with AustSwim as an ambassador through to February 2015. The vitamin company Swisse said on Monday it would not be renewing Huegill's contract when it expires at the end of next month.

''We have not used Geoff in any above-the-line advertising over the past 12 months and we notified Swimming Australia several weeks ago that we would not be renewing our partnership when the contract expired at the end of May,'' Swisse said.

''Although swimming has had a challenging time in recent years, we absolutely commend the organisation for its commitment and hard work in rebuilding the brand and wish them the very best of luck for the future.''

Huegill retired from swimming after the 2004 Athens Olympics but made a well-publicised comeback to the pool, shedding 40 kilograms and winning two Commonwealth gold medals at the 2010 Games.

He retired again in 2012 after he failed to make the team for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Huegill and Hill, who were married in 2011, will appear in Waverley Local Court on May 14.